KARASU / KYIV: Turkish customs authorities detained a Russian cargo ship carrying grain Ukraine said it was stolen, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey said on Sunday.
Ukraine had previously asked Turkey to detain the Russian flag bearer Zhibek Zholy cargo ship, according to an official and documents viewed by Reuters.
Reuters reporters saw the Zhibek Zholy moored about 1km off the coast and outside the port of Karasu on Sunday, with no visible signs of movement on board or other nearby vessels.
“We have full cooperation. The ship is currently standing at the entrance to the port, it has been detained by the Turkish customs authorities,” the ambassador said. Vasyl Bodnar above Ukrainians national television.
Bodnar said the ship’s fate would be decided by a meeting of investigators on Monday and Ukraine was hoping to seize the grain.
Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories that Russian forces have occupied since Moscow’s invasion began in late February. The Kremlin had previously denied that Russia had stolen any grain from Ukraine.
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official, citing information from Ukraine’s maritime administration, told Reuters on Friday that the ship Zhibek Zholy 7,146 citizens had loaded the first shipment of about 4,500 tons of Ukrainian grain from Berdyansk, a Russian-occupied port in southern Ukraine.
The region’s Sakarya Port Authority was not immediately available for comment. The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukraine had previously asked Turkey to detain the Russian flag bearer Zhibek Zholy cargo ship, according to an official and documents viewed by Reuters.
Reuters reporters saw the Zhibek Zholy moored about 1km off the coast and outside the port of Karasu on Sunday, with no visible signs of movement on board or other nearby vessels.
“We have full cooperation. The ship is currently standing at the entrance to the port, it has been detained by the Turkish customs authorities,” the ambassador said. Vasyl Bodnar above Ukrainians national television.
Bodnar said the ship’s fate would be decided by a meeting of investigators on Monday and Ukraine was hoping to seize the grain.
Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories that Russian forces have occupied since Moscow’s invasion began in late February. The Kremlin had previously denied that Russia had stolen any grain from Ukraine.
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official, citing information from Ukraine’s maritime administration, told Reuters on Friday that the ship Zhibek Zholy 7,146 citizens had loaded the first shipment of about 4,500 tons of Ukrainian grain from Berdyansk, a Russian-occupied port in southern Ukraine.
The region’s Sakarya Port Authority was not immediately available for comment. The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
